Jordan Parraz Stats & Scouting Report

AB	3321
AVG	.28
OBP	.364
SLG	.427
HR	81

Full name Jordan Edward Parraz
Born 10/08/1984 in Henderson, NV
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School CC Of Southern Nevada
Drafted in the 3rd round (94th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2004 (signed for $400,000).

View Draft Report

The Phillies drafted Parraz in the sixth round last year, unsure whether he would be a pitcher or hitter. They didn't sign him but retained his rights when he enrolled at Southern Nevada, making him the highest pick from last year to became a draft-and-follow. A year later, it's no clearer where Parraz' upside is greater or whether the Phillies will make a push to sign him. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder began the year in the Coyotes rotation and touched 96 mph, but his control was so erratic--both in and out of the strike zone--that he lost his job. He eventually took over in left field and became the leading hitter in the Scenic West Conference, a wood-bat league, while showing potential to hit with power. He wound up hitting .359-2-29. He has run the 60-yard dash in 6.6 seconds. Parraz doesn't showcase his tools well in games, but few players in this year's draft can match his five-tool potential.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Royals traded disappointing lefthander Tyler Lumsden to the Astros for Parraz just after the 2008 Winter Meetings, and Parraz earned a spot on the 40-man roster this offseason after a solid year that was interrupted by a series of hamstring injuries. Parraz had an outstanding first half and was on the verge of a promotion to Triple-A when he pulled his left hamstring in a game in late June. After a stint on the disabled list, he got that promotion and continued to hit, but then he pulled his right hamstring, which ended his season in early August. Parraz moved his hands closer to his shoulders at the plate, which seemed to free up his swing last year. Whether it was that tweak or just a fresh start with a different team, he showed an ability to hit for average that he never had displayed before. He always has been a gap-to-gap hitter with below-average usable power, even though he shows above-average raw power in batting practice. Parraz's best attribute is his strong, accurate arm, which rates as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He was drafted by the Phillies as a pitcher in the sixth round in 2003 but didn't sign. He doesn't run well enough to be an everyday center fielder, but he has enough athleticism to fill in there. The Royals held Parraz out of winter ball to make sure his legs are healthy, and he should be back in Omaha for Opening Day in 2010.
Parraz creates a lot of debate within the organization. Though he has moved at a snail's pace, he has been one of the system's most productive hitters. He led the New-York Penn League in batting (.336), slugging (.494) and on-base percentage (.421) in 2006, then topped Lexington in most offensive categories and was the team's MVP last year. Those who like him say he's a multitooled athlete similar to Eli Iorg. Those who don't say he has holes in his swing that will be exposed by advanced pitching. No one questions his athletic ability and he works hard, but the game doesn't come easily to Parraz. He does have raw power and slightly above-average speed, but he still hasn't gained control of the strike zone against lower-level pitchers. He plays out of control on the bases and in the outfield. His arm is a cannon, as he was clocked up to 96 mph at the CC of Southern Nevada--where he couldn't demonstrate enough command to stick in the rotation. Managers rated his arm the best among low Class A South Atlantic League outfielders last year, when he recorded 13 assists. High Class A should be a good test in 2008 for Parraz.
After the Phillies drafted him as a pitcher in the sixth round in 2003, Parraz opted to attend junior college. He hit 96 mph with his fastball but lost his spot in the rotation because of poor command. He also hit .359 with wood bats as an outfielder, and the Astros took him in 2004 for his bat. Parraz was inconsistent and played out of control during his first two lackluster years in pro ball before breaking out in 2006. Perhaps because he heard whispers that Houston might return him to the mound, a move he didn't want to make, Parraz toned down his game and played more under control. In his second tour of the New York-Penn League, he led the circuit in batting, slugging and on-base percentage. He showed a more consistent swing, allowing him to make better use of his average power and slightly above-average speed. Parraz runs well for his size and has seen time in center field, though he fits best in right. He reads balls off the bat better on the corners, and he obviously has enough arm strength. He still plays with reckless abandon, but he's also beginning to figure pro ball out. Parraz is finally ready for low Class A in his fourth pro season.
Parraz went to the Community College of Southern Nevada after the Phillies took him in the sixth round in 2003, making him the highest pick among draft-and-follows from that draft. Philadelphia selected him as a pitcher, and Parraz touched 96 mph in junior college. But his control was so poor that he lost his job in the rotation, and when he re-entered the 2004 draft, the Astros made him a third-round choice as an outfielder. Signed for $400,000, Parraz offers a tantalizing array of tools and a frustrating lack of baseball acumen. Though he hit .359 with wood bats at Southern Nevada during the spring, he arrived in pro ball with an ugly swing. He batted just .198 through July before the Greeneville staff adjusted how he held his hands in his stance. Able to catch up to fastballs better after the change, he hit .295 the rest of the way. Parraz has average power and slightly above-average speed, but he'll have to make more contact to use them. He's probably not consistent enough to play center field, and he undermines his plus-plus arm strength by throwing to the wrong base. Parraz will need plenty of time to develop, and his next step is low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Three years after signing, Parraz has yet to stick in full-season ball. In his second year at Tri-City, he continued to display impressive tools while starting to play somewhat more under control. He was one of the league's premier athletes and runs well for his size, swiping 23 bases in 26 attempts to rank second in the league. Parraz has the range and above-average arm strength for right field. The biggest question about his future remains his bat. He made progress, using a more consistent swing to lead the NY-P in batting (.336), on-base (.421) and slugging percentage (.494). "He's super raw," one manager said. "He plays with reckless abandon--he hits and runs the same way. But it works for him."
The earliest selection (sixth round) among 2003-04 draft-and-follows, Parraz turned down the Phillies after a year at the Community College of Southern Nevada and signed with the Astros for $400,000 as a third-rounder. After he hit .198 in his first 28 games as a pro, he became extremely frustrated. "We have a 30-day rule in the organization," Bogar said. "We don't touch guys during that time so we can see what kind of player they are. But he came to us and said, 'I can't do anything right. Can you help me?' " The Greeneville staff suggested a few adjustments--chiefly how he held his hands in his batting stance so he could catch up to fastballs better--and Parraz jumped to .295 over the final 25 games. "We saw him early and late," Smith said, "and he looked like a completely different guy." Parraz shows average power and the ability to hit for a decent average once he starts controlling the strike zone better. He's an excellent athlete who runs well and shows great instincts and a high-energy approach. He gets great jumps in the outfield, where he can play all three positions, and has a plus arm that should become more accurate when he refines his mechanics.